One Who Cries
by Kakashi's-lil'-sis
Summary: The story of how The Avengers became one big group of daddies. Eventual Steve/Tony.
1. Chapter 1

A small child, with tangled brown hair, stood solemnly in the elevator. The man standing next to her had placed a hand on the back of her shoulders to lead her inside, and had not removed it since the doors had dinged closed. Perhaps as an attempt to provide her comfort; perhaps to assure himself of her presence.

In the child's hands she held a small aged suitcase and a damaged, vintage, John Wayne tin lunchbox. A heavy feeling settled hard inside the child's chest and she held her arms just a bit harder to her body. She recognized the feeling, fear.

Agent Phil Coulson glanced down at the top of the girl's head, feeling her suppressed shudder. He thought about smiling to reassure the child, but she stared steadfastly at the bottom of the elevator doors. Inwardly he sighed.

_::Earlier That Morning::_

Coulson had only been slightly surprised when he received the contents of the debriefing he was to give that morning. Though, he knew not as surprised as the original recipient of the news.

Entering a large room in the Avengers Tower, he was unsurprised to find one Captain America nervously pacing behind the seated team. Coulson waved a hand in a dismissing motion, "There is no national emergency, Captain."

Steve frowned, "Then why assemble the team? The message said urgent."

"I'm getting to that. SHIELD has received information, and it is our belief that it will most likely affect the Avengers as a whole." Coulson answered, taking position at the head of the rounded table.

"Then shouldn't Tony be here?" Bruce asked from the right.

Coulson shrugged, "Director Fury debriefed Stark in person, when we had confirmed the information."

"Fury? In person? What did Stark do?" Clint asked incredulously.

The team quieted, "Stark had a daughter."

And there was the bombshell of why he was here. While he let the team absorb the news, and let pass their various responses, he pulled up some files into the holographic settings in the table.

He brought up a picture of the girl for the team to see, tangled brown hair and large brown eyes staring solemnly into the camera. After a moment, it was Natasha that spoke first, "Those are definitely Stark's eyes. Dark circles included."

"She looks just like him." Steve said breathlessly as he sat down in his seat.

"She seems to be around 6-7 years old, why hasn't Tony been contacted before this?" Bruce asked a frown creasing his brow.

"I believe that to be the workings of her grandfather, Arthur Devereux II." More photos were pulled up, "It looks like he was a very controlling man and did his best to keep his granddaughters birth a secret since it was out of wedlock.

Stark's daughter is Toni "Cha'Kwaina" Devereux, 7 years old. Her biological grandmother belonged to the Hopi tribe making her qualify for government benefits. Her mother, Yvone Devereux, was an upcoming French model. Both Arthur and Yvone were recently killed in a car crash leaving Stark's daughter with no living relatives until their lawyer found some documents left behind by her mother. She's been in SHIELD custody undergoing psych evaluations since Tuesday."

That was four days ago.

Now it was time for her to actually see her new home.


	2. Chapter 2

When the elevator opened into Tony's workshop Coulson pushed the girl in and quickly escaped back inside. The child gulped and looked around her but saw no sign of anyone else. Tiptoeing forward she crouched down to set her luggage on the floor. As she did she heard some clattering and a loud voice ordering around a 'Dummy' and 'You'.

Getting up from the floor Tony Stark sets about putting his tools back into order, making sure everything is in its place. He wonders what's taking so long before he turns around and is greeted by the sight of his daughter for the first time.

She's crouching, hands still clenched around the handles of a small suitcase and lunchbox. Slowly she lets them go and straightens. Both of them are silent for a while and the little girl picks at the hem of her faded yellow shirt.

Tony approaches the girl, slowly because she's still refusing to look up, and sits down in front of her. "Hi there." He says as he leans down to meet her gaze.

She looks up shyly and nods her greeting. Switching tactics Tony introduces himself, "I'm Tony Stark. I hear we have the same name."

She nods again, "My names Toni."

"Do you know who I am?" Tony asked nervously, he doesn't think he knows how to explain it himself.

Toni nodded, "You're my father."

"I don't know what anyone has told you about me-"

"Mommy said a lot of things about you."

She was looking at him now and Tony ran a hand through his hair. Was he going to have to undo one woman's lifelong lectures of hate?

Toni looked away again, "Mommy knew how to use words to hurt."

'Oh,' Tony tamped down the urge to throw something. He had known what to expect, but still, hearing and seeing it with his own eyes…it was a tough pill to swallow. "It's good you figured that out."

"You don't have to be angry. Mommy was really sick." Toni said quietly, "I know this isn't the ideal situation for you, and just so you know, you don't have to keep me if you don't want to."

A lump formed in Tony's throat, "What?"

"The reservation where Granma lived has offered to take me in." Toni shrugged. "They can find a family…"

"No, nononono, you don't need to worry about any of that. You're welcome here kiddo."

"Oh," Toni looked down again and wrung her hands. "Thank you."

'Back to square one,' Tony thought. "So, Cha'Kwaina, huh? What's that about?"

Startled little Toni looked up and after a moment shrugged, "It's my Native American name. It means One Who Cries. Granma said it suited me. The medicine man gave it to me."

Nodding Tony pulled himself out of his chair and began a walk across the room, "So are you thirsty or anything? What would you like, a soda?"

Toni stared after him and followed slowly, "Soda's fine."

Tony popped open two cans of Dr Pepper and handed one to her. Leading her over to a couch they sat down on opposite sides. "So," Tony started, "Tell me about yourself."

This seemed to boggle the young girls mind and she struggled for words.

"Ok, let's make this easier; tell me about your mom." As he said this he pulled up a computer screen with a picture of her mother. Toni stared at the screen as it swung through the air in wonder.

"She was going to be a famous model before I was born." A well-practiced line. "After I was born she turned to the drink and then she got into drugs. She was pretty cranky when she wasn't high." Her gaze wandered to the can she was currently rolling between her hands. "You're Iron Man aren't you?"

Changing the topic, as to be expected. "Yeah, I am."

Toni looked around her, avoiding his eyes. "You save people?"

"I try." Tony answered.

She looked up at him with a sincere smile, "That's wonderful."


	3. Chapter 3

The best Tony can do is throw together one of the guest bedrooms closest to his. Give him time and it'll be fit for a princess. But for the moment, monochromes and plain furniture is what he has to offer.

She loves it.

It takes him by surprise and he has to think, what on earth was her bedroom like before for her to be excited by this?

Toni excitedly scrambles onto the bed and exclaims, "This bed could fit my whole old room in it!"

She says it lightheartedly but it still makes something in Tony's stomach twist. He shakes off thee feeling with a shrug of his shoulders and motions to the suitcase in his hand. "You want me to put these up for you?"

Toni ambles off the bed, "I can do it."

She takes the suitcase from his hand and sits in front of the chest of drawers across from her bed. She opens the case and from where he stands Tony can see that she packed in a rush, shoving everything in at once.

Toni is careful and meticulous, re-folding each set of clothing she pulls from the case. The clothes are worn and faded, mostly t-shirts and shorts and one stained sundress she treats reverently. When everything is put away and Tony has shown her where to place her toothbrush, they both come back to sit on the bed.

Tony points to the lunchbox, "You a fan of the Duke?"

Toni nods excitedly, "He's my favorite actor, I've seen almost all his movies, though some of them are sad. The box is vintage, I found it in the thrift store. The lady working there said I was so well behaved she gave it to me for free."

"That's great. So what do you keep in it?" Tony asked curiously.

"My treasures." Toni answered sliding the box into Tony's lap and leaning into his side.

Tony had to pause for a moment for this was the first time Toni had actually touched him. Slowly he opened the lid of the box. The first thing he saw was the snake skin. That gave him a few clues to his daughter's personality. It would seem she wasn't going to be the 'princess' type he assumed.

Under the snake skin were a few rocks, some arrow heads, some interesting buttons, some coins, a few feathers and what looked like half a jaw bone of some small carnivore. Well, she did grow up in Texas so he shouldn't be surprised.

He had a child raised in the sticks. He didn't think he'd ever spent any time _in_ the sticks. _Ever_.

How was he supposed to keep this child happy in New York of all places?

He managed a grin and shut the box. "These are wonderful Toni."

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Toni stared up at her father and studied his face while he was concentrating on her box. He was sad. But she couldn't put her finger on why. He was hiding it pretty well but still, she could tell.

She hated that. She was making everyone around her sad. It was all her fault.

There was a knock on the door loud enough to make her jump and her daddy swear. He was up on his feet and cracking open the door in a heartbeat. There were harsh whispers that Toni couldn't make out and she couldn't see who was beyond the door.

Eventually Tony came back to the bed and looked at his daughter. "Toni, you know about me being Iron Man, do you know about the Avengers?"

"I remember the attack on Manhattan reported on the news." Toni could vaguely recall the group of superheroes the news people talked about.

"Well, the truth is they all live here in this building with us, and they are dying to meet you…are you ok with that?" Her daddy looked nervous as she felt.

"Ok." She answered. She didn't want to find out what would happen if she said no here. "Why do they want to meet _me_?"

Tony looked surprised at the question. "Well because…because you're their new roommate and my daughter and stuff. They just have been dying to meet you since they heard about you."

"Oh. Ok." That was unnerving. No one had ever been _excited_ to meet her before.

Tony took her hand and led her out of the room and into the elevator at the end of the hall. It takes them up two floors. When they step out into another hallway she can hear the sound of people talking. They follow the sound until they step into a large living area with attached kitchen and dining area.

There are five people standing around one end of a giant curved couch. They have all stopped talking and are now staring at Toni. She shifts uncomfortably under the scrutiny and scuffs her toe on the stone floor.

The first to move is a giant man with long blond hair and a booming voice, "Greetings daughter of Stark!"


	4. Chapter 4

Toni looked like a deer in the headlights. Thor continued, "It is with great honor that I welcome you to your new home! We have awaited your return from SHIELD with much anxiousness. We must celebrate!"

Clint stepped forward slightly, enough to elbow Thor in the side, "The bear Thor, give her the bear." He whispered.

"Oh yes!" Thor turned to the couch and produced a giant stuffed teddy bear, wrapped in a large red ribbon, the entire thing almost overwhelming the child in its size. "We have come together to bring you this gift with hope it brings you great joy."

Thor practically dumped the bear into Toni's arms and she held it with a little difficulty, "I-it's lovely. Thank you, um-"

"The loud one is Thor." Tony said picking her up to sit on his hip, bear and all, "And that guy is Clint Barton."

He went on this way until he had introduced all the Avengers in turn. Then he looked at Toni, "So I did hear someone mention a feast, are you hungry?"

Toni shrugged and then nodded a bit. Grinning Tony swung around to face the group, "Well how does that sound to everyone? A celebratory, welcome home party I think is in order for the little princess."

To this they all agreed.

* * *

Tony moved over to the bar and sat Toni on top of it. The little girl fiddled with the bow around the teddy bears neck.

Toni decides to name the bear Asta. When asked by the man named Steve why, she tells him about the movie her grandma let her watch. The Thin Man, with Nick and Nora Charles and their trusty dog Asta. Steve has heard of the movie and he seems just as excited about the sequels as she is. She talks to him about movies until the food arrives.

Asta gets to sit on the couch while Toni sits next to her father at a large table. Everyone sits and the food is dished out. There is a lot of chatter that Toni isn't paying attention to. She's too focused on the food that's being piled on her plate. She can scarcely remember a time she's seen that much food in one place before.

When she says as much, she gets the funny looks again and the atmosphere of the room turns sad. She doesn't look up from her plate after that. She always makes people sad nowadays, and she doesn't know how to fix it.

So she ate in silence. Only looking up when a question or comment was directed at her, which there were not many. The group of adults could tell that Toni wasn't in a talking mood. She ate till she was full and then ate some more. Just in case she didn't get any more later.

* * *

Toni did her best to hide her yawn but she was very tired after a long day and Tony soon excused the two of them and walked her to her room. Once inside, the little girl changed into a pair of pajamas and crawled into the large bed. Tony watched from the door way and once Toni was settled he came over and sat on the edge of the bed.

The two talked until finally, Toni's eyes slid shut and she fell asleep. Tony watched for a while and then went back down to his workroom. He felt the need to lose a few hours with his head stuck in an engine, doing thoughtless work.

It hurt to think about Toni too much. The possibilities of what she might have or might have not gone through. But when he sat in front of his work bench he couldn't bring himself to pick up the tools.

Dummy handed him a wrench.

Tony smiled sadly and patted the robot on its head. He twirled the wrench around his fingers and, well, thought about Toni.


	5. Chapter 5

Toni wakes up in a pool of sweat and a scream stuck in her throat. An image of vivid green eyes still pounding through her head.

All alone in the big empty room she begins to sniffle. She rubs tears out of her eyes and takes a big breath, it comes out a whimper. Toni fights it, shakes her head and rolls to her feet. She makes her way to the door of her room and forgets for a moment where she is when it opens into a long hallway.

'Oh,' she remembers. This is her father's home.

She has a father now.

How long had she wished for and dreamed of that. To have a father who could protect her from the darkness and mommy when she got scary. Someone who would let her stand on their toes and dance with her, like she had seen her neighbor Billie do.

She wanted to find him now and say all the things she was too scared to say before. She wanted to hug him and ask all the questions she could think to ask.

Vaguely she remembered that the elevator ride to her room from the room she met her father in was somewhere towards the middle of the building she thought. So she walked to the elevator and once inside stared at the rows and rows of buttons.

Scratching her head she reached up and pressed one that was lower than the floor she was on. The elevator jumped to life and started downward. It opened into another long hallway that was just like the one she had left.

She walked to the end of it, went around a few turns, and felt her frustration begin to rise. Before she knew it she was lost. Suddenly she felt all alone and all the eagerness washed from her body in a cold sweat. This time she couldn't help it and she started to cry tears of fear and frustration.

She curled up next to the wall and cried into her knees.

Maybe seven minutes pass before the sound of something metal and then a thump catches her attention and she lifts her head.

A man is crouched under a rectangular hole in the wall, a metal grate in his hands. He stands and places the grate over the hole then turns to face her. Toni recognizes him as the man her father had introduced as Clint Barton.

He smiles softly at her and moves forward slowly, as if trying not to startle a frightened animal. "Hey Kiddo."

Wiping snot from her face she shrugs as form of greeting. Clint moves over to crouch in front of her. "What are you doing up so late?"

"I had a nightmare." She answers, "I got up to look for daddy but I got lost."

"Well I can take you to him if it would make you feel better." Clint offers, holding out his hands to her.

Toni nods and lets Clint pick her up and hold her on his hip. He takes her back to the elevator and asks, "So what was your nightmare about?"

Toni shrugs again, "I don't remember."

Clint and Toni chat until the elevator takes them to the correct floor. The doors open to the workshop that Toni remembers from the time she first met her father and Clint walks deeper inside.

The two of them find Tony sound asleep sitting in front of what looks like half an engine. And before she can stop him, Clint solidly kicks the chair Tony is sitting on. Toni gasps and puts a finger in her mouth, something her mommy surely would have smacked her for, but the habit never really went away.

Tony curses Clint and looks up bleary eyed, "Wha-?" He manages.

"I think this belongs to you." Clint says bouncing Toni in his grip. More softly he says, "She had a nightmare and got lost trying to get here."

Tony stands, rubs a hand through his hair and yawns, "Toni, you could have just asked Jarvis to get me for you, you didn't have to come looking."

Clint hands Toni over carefully and Toni asks, "Who's Jarvis?"


	6. Chapter 6

"W-who's- Did I not introduce the two of you?" Tony asks aghast.

Clint rolls his eyes and excuses himself, ruffling Toni's hair on the way out. Tony swings Toni around and jumps into a long explanation of mechanics and how he created Jarvis and the first time they spoke and what his name stands for.

Most of it goes over Toni's head but she likes to listen to her daddy talk. She likes the way he looks right now, with excitement instead of sadness in his eyes. He must talk for almost thirty minutes, and by the time he slows down Toni's eyes are getting droopy.

"Sir, as much as I am enjoying our little journey back in time, I believe it is far past Miss Stark's bedtime." A new voice disrupts the constant rumble of her father's voice.

"Who'ssat?" Toni slurred.

Tony looks down and notices his daughter's sleepiness, he chuckles. "That would be Jarvis."

This perks up Toni who looks around herself. Tony stands and walks to the elevator. "But you can meet him in the morning, right now it's time for bed."

"What if I have another nightmare?" Toni asks watching more closely as he presses buttons in the elevator.

"If you have a nightmare, just yell for me and I'll come running."

True to his promise Tony fully introduces Jarvis and Toni the next morning before breakfast. It'll be many days before anyone can convince her he is not a ghost.

Bruce and Steve are at the breakfast table when the two Tony's join them. Tony immediately gravitates to the coffee while Bruce insists that Toni eat a real breakfast.

Toni insists she help Bruce cook, "I always made my own breakfast at home." She says.

Bruce smiles down at her as she scoots a chair closer to the oven. He shoots a glance over at Tony and Steve and shrugs. Toni ends up handing ingredients to Bruce as he cooks.

"You cook fast…it always takes me a while." Toni says not taking her eyes off the frying pan.

"I'm sure you'll get the hang of it eventually." Bruce reassures, placing bacon into the pan next to the eggs.

When it is finished, Bruce lays everything out on a plate and walks it to the table, expecting Toni to follow him.

What no one expects is the crash and scream that follows. Bruce, Tony, and Steve rush to Toni's side to see her little burnt hands. Steve grabs an oven-mitt and picks up the frying pan from the floor where it landed after Toni's aborted attempt to lift it.

Tony panics and Bruce lifts the sobbing girl onto the counter and places her hands in the sink to run cold water over them. Toni calms a lot quicker than any of them expects.

"I'm sorry." She says.

"It's ok little princess, you didn't do anything wrong." Tony says from behind Bruce.

Bruce examines her hands closely, "I know it hurt a lot but you're really ok. There's barely a mark left."

"I-I scared myself, that's why I cried so much. I didn't mean to scare you all." Toni says sheepishly sniffling a little. "I shouldn't have forgotten the oven-mitts."

"It would have scared anyone." Steve says.

Toni flexes her hands and blushes, "I'm sorry."

Sighing in relief Tony picks up the girl and takes her to her seat at the breakfast table. "Well that's a sure fire way to wake a person up."

"Agreed." Bruce says as he takes a seat as well.

Steve stands by the counter drinking coffee and the three men watch Toni eat with her strange enthusiasm.

Later that day Tony decides it's time to call Pepper.


	7. Chapter 7

She supposes that she always expected something like this to happen. It wouldn't be the first time Pepper had fought off women claiming to have mothered Tony's child.

She never expected _this_ though.

Tony hadn't talked to her much ever since the breakup. And when he finally calls her, the conversation goes somewhat like 'Oh didn't I tell you, I have a daughter now.'

Typical.

So she meets with Tony in his lab, "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I've only known for a week." Tony defends.

"You should have called me as soon as you found out. You didn't even have a room ready for her. I could have made preparations." Pepper paces, hands on hips.

Tony smiles at that, "Yeah I bet you would have." He says softly.

"So you want me to take her shopping? Why don't you take her yourself?"

"What do you think will happen if I step outside with her right now?" Tony asks tightly.

Pepper rubs a hand over her forehead, "The media will have a field day."

She can understand why Tony would want to keep her out of the public eye for as long as possible. As soon as the media finds out, so does all his enemies. That's the danger of being around Tony.

"Listen I just want you to take her shopping, let her pick out some clothes and things she likes." Tony asks a slight pleading note entering his voice.

"I don't have time today I have meetings to go to-"

The elevator dings.

Out walks a miniature version of the man sitting in front of her.

Pepper stands then leans down to the child's level, holding out a hand. "You must be Miss Stark, I'm Pepper Potts."

Toni blushes and gently shakes her hand, "Please, call me Toni."

Peppers heart melts.

She notices Happy Hogan, who had wisely stayed out of the conversation, wipe a tear from his eye and clap Tony on the shoulder before Tony swatted him away.

Toni gets introduced to Happy too. Then Tony picks her up to sit on his hip. "Little princess, Pepper is going to take you shopping today."

"For what?" Toni asks index finger trailing to her mouth.

Tony gently removes the finger, "Clothes and whatever else you want. I want you to get whatever you want you got that?"

Toni looks shell shocked and then blushes, "Oh no, I could never do that."

"Yes you can, and you will." Tony sets her down and hands her hand to Pepper.

Pepper takes the hand and leads Toni back to the elevator followed by Happy. The three wave to Tony as the doors close.

`.`.`.`.`.`.`.`.`.`.`.`.`.`.`.`

Pepper finds out quickly that getting Toni to actually pick out clothes is a much bigger task than she ever thought possible.

Toni, apparently, is a penny-pincher.

One look at the price tag has her paling. "Miss Pepper can we just go to the Goodwill? That's where I get all my clothes."

Pepper shakes her head, "Toni don't worry about the prices. We can afford it I promise."

Toni delicately lifts out a sunflower yellow sundress and finds the price tag. "But mommy never spent this much."

Pepper sighs sadly and picks up the dress, "Honey, listen, this day is all about you. You can get whatever you want. _There is no price tag_."

It takes a bit more nudging but soon Toni starts trying on clothes and the basket fills up slowly but surely with more dresses and shorts and shirts and one floppy felt sunhat. Toni comes out of the shoe store with four pairs of shoes.

The toy store is a disaster. Tony refuses to buy anything until Happy tempts her with the stuffed animals. A horse, a wolf, and a dolphin get put in the cart before Pepper deems it enough to go home with.

The three of them, since Toni insisted on helping carry things, tote the bags to the elevator and ride up to the floor her bedroom sits on, the same as Tony's.

"So how did things go?" Tony asks from the bedroom doorway.

Pepper is in the middle of packing everything away in the closet and chest of drawers while Happy is sitting on the bed with Toni.

"I think things went well for a first try." Pepper says thoughtfully.


End file.
